Straw cutter



naarch 18, 1924. I

J. MELEG STRAW CUTTER Filed Sept. 21, 1922 Patented Mar. 18, 1924.

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JOSEPH MELEG, OF BEAVER FALLS, PENNSYLVANIA.

STRAW CUTTER.

Application filed. September 21, 1922. Serial No. 589,605

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH Mamie, a citizen of Hungary, residing atBeaver Falls, in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Straw Cutters, of whichthe following is a specification.

The primary object of the present invention resides in the provision ofa straw cutter especially designed for use by farmers wherein aquantity. of straw may be out from a stack and embodies a verticallyadjust-- out the several views.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a straw cutter constructed inaccordance with the present invention, the foot rest being shown indifferent dotted line positions,

Figure 2 is an edge elevational view thereof,

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line III-III of Figure 1,and

Figure 1 is an enlarged detail perspective view of a portion of thecutter shank showing the spaced grooves for adjustably receiving thefoot rest.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing, there isillustrated a straw' cutter in the form of a hand implement embodying arelatively long shank 5 having an offset handle 6 at its upper end and apair of curved integrally formed blades 7 at its lower end with innercutting edges 8 formed on the blades as illustrated in Figure 1.

A longitudinal slot 9 is provided in the shank 5 and extends from apoint adjacent the blades 7 to substantially midway the length of saidshank and communicating with said slot 9 from one side thereof is aplurality of lateral openings 10 having recesses 10 formed at the innerends thereof. At suitably spaced points in the shank 5 at the oppositeside of the slot 9 is a plurality of declined openings 11 havingrecesses 11 formed at the inner ends thereof, the openings 11 beingoifset with respect to the openings 10 upon the opposite sides of theslot. At the upper end of the slot 9, an enlarged circular opening 12 isprovided while on the opposite faces of the slot 9 at a point spaceddownwardly of the opening 12 are cooperatingdepressions 13 formed on thearc of a circle.

The foot rest employed with the straw cutter is shown more clearly inFigures 1 and 3 and embodies an angle bar having a horizontal foot restportion 1 1 with a flange 14: upon its outer end to prevent the foot ofthe operator from slipping therefrom while a vertical leg 15 is carriedby the inner end of the rest portion 1 1. A bolt 16 is carried by thehorizontal foot rest portion 14 at a point adjacent the connection withthe vertical leg 15 while the lower end of the leg 15 carries a bolt 17.

In positioning the foot rest within the longitudinal slot 9 of the shank5, the bolt 16 is brought into registration with the opening 12 of theslot while the bolt 17 registers with the depressions 13 in the slotwalls in which position the bolts may be passed through the alinedopenings, and by moving the foot rest downwardly in the slot 9, theheads 16 and 17 of the bolts 16 and 17 respectively will prevent thedisplacement of the foot rest. The bolts 16 and 17 are spaced apart adistance equivalent to the distance between pairs of openings 10 and 11at opposite sides of the slot 9 and by positioningthe bolts within saidopenings for reception in the recesses 10 and 11, the foot rest may beadjusted at the desired height or for the purpose intended. Should it bedesired, the foot rest 14 may be positioned in the extreme upperopenings 10 and 11 and the same could be readily grasped by the handduring the manipulation of the cutter, the principal object of thepresent invention having relation to the provision of a foot rest thatis longitudinally adjustable relative to the supporting shank andcapable of detachment therefrom.

While there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment ofthe invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changesmay be made in the form, combination and arrangement of parts Withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope or" the invention as claimed.

lVhat is claimed as new is:

1. In a foot rest for tools, the combination with a handle shank havinga slot extending longitudinally thereof, a plurality of laterallyextending openings with recesses at their outer ends communicating withone side of said slot, and a plurality of inclined openings withrecesses at their outer ends communicating with the other side of saidslot and in staggered relation to the first mentioned openings, of afoot rest consisting of a horizontal portion and a vertical leg formedintegrally therewith, a headed bolt carried by the horizontal por tionadapted to selectively engage the inclined openings and a headed boltcarried by the vertical leg adapted for selectively engaging thelaterally extending openings for holding said foot rest in adjustedpositions in respect to the length'oii' the shank.

2. In a foot rest for tools,the combination 'ith a handle shank having arelatively narrow slot extending longitudinally thereof, a plurality oflaterally extending openings with recesses at their outer endscommunicating with one side of said slot, a plurality of inclinedopenings With recesses at their outer ends communicating with the otherside of said slot and positioned in staggered relation to the firstmentioned opening, an enlarged circular opening at the upper end of saidslot and a pair of cooperating depressions formed in the side walls ofthe slot and spaced downwardly from the circular opening, of a foot restconsisting of a horizontal portion and a vertical leg formed integrallytherewith, a headed bolt carried by the horizontal portion adjacent toits point of connection with the vertical leg, and a headed bolt carriedby the lower end of the vertical leg, said bolts being positioned withinthe said slot through the enlarged circular opening and the pair ofcooperating depressions for permitting the said bolts to be placedwithin the said lateral and inclined openings for retaining the footrest in adjusted relation in respect to the length of the handle shank.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature.

JOSEPH MELEG.

